G V 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



Shelf r[^§.?i> 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



/Cor)Yer)bior)al \\ri)isb Leads. 
WHEN 

TTo Ivead E^achi Card of tine TPlnirteen Originally, 

AND 

WHICH CARD 

OF THE 

Remaining TT^welve to Ivead on Second. Rouind. 

^ 1**^ TOGETHER WITH SOME SOUND ADVICE TO PLAYERS. 

^^S'^ COMPILED FROM THE HIGHEST AUTHORITIES OF THE TIME. 

^ BY ^ 



PHILADELPHIA : J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY. 
1801. 



Copyright, 1 891, by J. B. Lippincott Company. 



TO 



WHOSE SOUND CONSERVATISM, CORRECT JUDGMENT AND EXCELLENT ADVICE 
HAVE ADDED SO MUCH TO THE DIGNITY OF OUR GAME, THIS 
BOOK IS CORDIALLY INSCRIBED BY HIS FRIEND, 



THE AUTHOR. 



y 4» 

INTRODUCTIOK. 

To Whist Players : 

It is the design of this httle book to arouse a more general interest in " The noble 
game of Whist," and especially to demonstrate to thousands who long to play the game 
(but who are deterred by what they suppose its "multitudinous complications and 
intricacies"), how little there is for them to learn in order to ties^ill* Let all such 
glance at the following pages, and they will not fail to observe how few are the 
leads, how soon acquired, and with but a moderate amount of study. Why then 
should all these be deprived of a game, conferring one of the highest orders of intel- 
lectual recreation known ? a 

4» ♦ 



The plays here set forth are also intended to be of great value to the ''Moderate 
Player," referred to by '' Cavendish," who, thinking he " Knows it all," so often ruins 
a hand through ignorance of how to begin, or how to continue. To this class of 
players it may be said, ''If you knew how much more desirable you would be as a 
partner you would master these few conventional plays;" and again, " As there are the 
very tiest of resiSOnS for each play, you would soon be desirous of knowing 
such reasons, and, these once acquired, the plays would remain fixed in your memory, 
and, becoming more and more interested, you would go deeper into the matter, thus 
increasing your pleasure in the game tenfold (this is no exaggeration), not to men- 
tion the delight of your friends ! ' ' 

The more "Advanced Players" will readily recognize the value of these leads to 
otlierS) but even, some of tliem will frequently make a wrong Second Lead (and 
not always lead correctly at the start), thereby nullifying the willing assistance of their 



4» 



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skilful partners — an assistance so essential to success. To these, therefore, it may also 
prove a boon. 

No claim is made that Whist can be learned from these pages. Their object 
is stated above. 

In their presentation, hundreds upon hundreds of hands are not given (which might 
be done), and the reader then told the " Correct Card'' to lead from each, but, adopting 
somewhat the method of the late eminent English astronomer, Richard A. Proctor (one 
of the finest Whist players of his day), the student is told wlieil to lead a card, 
irrespective of the thousand and one combinations that may occur, thus almost im- 
meaSUraMy reducing his labor. 

In conclusion, it is proper to state that no originality is claimed for the Order 
of L,eads here set down. All are compiled from living Masters of the game, 
and present in as condensed form as possible, consistent with intelligibility, the improve- 

7 





ments, experience and discoveries of successive generations for some hundreds of years 
down to the present time. 

That there will be — that there always are — objectors to any system is well known, 
and it is not expected this humble effort will be any exception. Nevertheless, it is con- 
fidently stated that the directions following are eminently correct, that all are founded 
on true Whist principles; and that all are to-day recognized and adopted 
by the best players (excepting a small minority) throughout the Whist-playing world. 

Trusting the book may fulfil its intended mission, I am 



Yours faithfully, 



H. B. T. 



Art Club Whist Club, 

Philadelphia, January, 1 891. 



8 



♦ 

4 



On the Original lead, g^etierally open the longest Suit, and 

Lead Ace (4 leads). 

From Ace and any four or more (except when holding the four Honors 
the three highest honors). 

" Ace and any tliree exactly (excepting Kg.), when the lowest card is 

" Ace, Qn., Kn., with or without other lower cards. 

" Ace, Kg. only. 

The Ace lead generally indicates a suit of five or more cards. 
(No. 2, above, is not Strictly Conventional.) 



I. Keep your eyes fixed on the table, — not on your hand, — during play. 



Lead King^ (x leads). 

1. From Kg. with Ace, and any two* 

2. " Kg. with Qn., and any two. 

King is never led from more than four cards, and generally indicates 

four cards exactly. 



Avoid all mannerisms in play. 



12 



Lead Queen (4 leads). 

1. From Qn., Kn., lo, with or without other lower cards. 

2. Qn., Kn., and any three or more lower cards. 

3. Qn., Kn., and any two lower cards, the lowest being Ijelow the 7. 

4. *' Qn., Kg., and any ttiree or more cards except Kn. 

5. " Qn., Kg., Ace, and any two or more cards except Kn. 

(Leads 4 and 5 are duplicates.) 



The Queen lead generally indicates a suit of five or more cards. 

13 



Play the high, the low, the winning, or losing card with equal quietness. 



14 



Lead Knave (3 leads), 

1. From Kn., lo, 9, with or without other lowei* cards. 

2. ^' Kn., Qn., Kg., and any two or more lower cards, except 10. 

3. Kn., Qn., Kg., Ace, and any one or more cards, except the 10, when 10 is 

the only other card held (see 10 lead). 

The Knave lead generally indicates a suit of five or more cards. 

IS 



4- It is not fair to hesitate unnecessarily during play. 



i6 



Lead 1:0 (3 leads). 

1. From 10, Kn., Qn., Kg., Ace only. 

2. " 10, Kn., Kg., with or without any lower cards, except tlie 9. 

3. 10, Kn., Qn., Kg., and one or more lower cards. 

Neither 10 nor any lower card is ever led at head of sequence. 
The 10 lead frequently indicates a suit of five or more cards. 



17 



5- In Whist parlance, ''never" and "always" mean almost never and almost 
always. 



i8 



Ill all other cases 

lead a small card, which card must be the original fourtll t>est. 



The foregoing takes no account of forced leads, nor of Trumps ; the play of both 
being so largely a matter of judgment. The player is also to exercise his judgment as 
to the propriety of making, at times, an irregular, rather than one of the conventional 
leads. He then assumes all responsibility for his play. 

For second lead, follow instructions given in American Wllist 

Maxims^" — the discovery of Mr. Nicholas Browse Trist, of New Orleans, La. 

♦ 



6. Carefully note partner's and opponent's Call or Echo. 



20 



4> 

American Whist Maxims.^^ 

Apart from the Conventional Leads, 

1. When opening a suit with a low card, let that card be the original fourtll best* 

Example: — Kg., lo, 7, 6, 4, 3, etc., lead 6. 

2. Having opened your suit with a high card, follow with your original fourtll 

best. 

Example: — Ace, Kn., 8, 7, 5, 2, lead Ace, follow with 7. 

But if a high card remains, marked in band, follow with Fourth Best, 
remaining: in liand. 

Example: — Kg., Qn., 9, 7, 6, 2, lead Qn., follow with 6. 

21 



♦ 



7- Exceptional hands demand exceptional treatment, but the responsibility rests with 
the player. 



22 



"American Wliist Maxims.^' 

(concluded.) 

3. With two llig^ll indifiereilt cards remaining, after the opening of your 
suit, lead next, the lliglier if you opened a suit of four, the lower if 

you opened a suit of five or more cards. 

Example: — Ace, Qn., Kn., 7, lead Ace, then Qn. 
Example: — Ace, Qn., Kn., 7, 5, etc., lead Ace, then Kn. 



It will be apparent that all the second leads ordered by the maxims presuppose no 
player to have renounced the first round, nor any other extraordinary fall of the cards 
to have occurred. 

Partner will never trump an original lead of 10, Kn., Qi^v 
. Ks:*9 or Ace. ^ 



8. Never lecture your partner, but criticise generously ; remember, you are not infallible. 



24 



Addenda. 

The following plays have been lllliversally adopted by experts, but 
apparently conflict somewhat with Maxim ]Ho. 3, viz. : — 

Holding Kg., Qn., Kn., and one small, lead Kg., tlien. Kn. 

Ace, Kg., Qn., Kn. only, " Kg., Kn. 

Ace, Kg., Qn., and one small, " Kg., " Qn. 

Special second leads, apparently conflicting with Maxim I^O. 3, but 
really in accordance with Maxim ]>Jo. 2* 

From Ace, Qn., Kn., 10, with others or not, lead Ace, tlien 10. 
" Qn., Kn., 10, 9, " " " Qn., 9. 

" Kn., 10, 9, 8, " " " " Kn., 8. 

Kg., Qn., Kn., 10 only, Kg., 10. 

The tllird lead from first tliree of above will indicate numerical 

streng^tli. 



9- It is more genuine pleasure to the True Wllist Player, in the skilful 
management of a single hand, than in the winning of games by simply the 
preponderance of master cards. 



26 



^^Read between tlie lines." 

Whist players know what this means; for instance : 

Example: — From Ace, Kg., Qn., and others (see Queen leads)* 
Lead Qn., til en Ace, if only five cards originally. 
Qn., Kg., six or more " 

Example: — From Kg., Qn., Kn., lo, and others (see lO leads)* 
Lead lo, tlien Kg., if only five cards originally. 
" lo, " Qn., " six 
" lo, " Kn., seven or more " " 

Example: — From Ace, Kg., Qn., Kn., and others (see K^nave leads). 
Lead Kn., tlien Ace, if only five cards originally. 
" Kn., " Kg., six 
" Kn., " Qn., " seven or more " " 
Etc., etc., etc. 

Compare above witb Ulaxim No. 3. 

27 



lo. To the uninitiated it may be explained that ''Read between the lines" means 
Exercise a little common sense and use your judgment." 



28 



y 4> 

As a corollary to American Whist Maxims, the following general instructions are 

given for 

ITnblocking Partner's Suit* 

If Ace is led originally and Second hand follows suit, Third hand, with any four Cards 
of the Suit exactly, retains his lowest card. 

If Qn., Kn., or lo is led originally. Third hand, with four small Cards of the Suit 
exactly, retains his lowest card. 

When next to play. Third hand throws his middle card ; but if he is to return the suit, 
Third hand throws his highest, though holding three of the suit at the time. 



29 



II. Study your partner's hand." No success can be achieved by him without your — 
nor by you without his — assistance. 



30 



Appendix. 



There is one other lead (not mentioned on the preceding pages) strongly advo- 
cated, and, the reason for the play, forcibly argued by one of our leading authorities, 
" G. W« P." He claims it to be, for both Plain Suits and Trumps, the best lead 
in Whist, because the ''Most informatory." It is as follows, viz. : 

I^ead 9* (The only lead.) 
From 9, Kn., Kg., with or without all or any others, exeluding^ Ace and Qn. 

While the writer approves the play, it is retained in an appendix for the reason that 
it has not yet been generally adopted. 

''Cavendish" gives it (among others) when the lo is also held; but the 9 then 
becomes simply the Fourth best Card. 



Strenstli In Xrnmps is tbe most frequent (we bad almost said tbe only) 
Justification for an orisiual irresrular lead. 



12. Charity towards those with whom he disagrees is characteristic of the true Whist 
player. Let sound reason decide the right. 



32 



